Most Americans expect the unrest in Egypt to spread to other Middle Eastern countries and think that will be bad for the United States. But a sizable majority also believe the United States should keep its nose out of Egypt’s current problems.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of American Adults think it is at least somewhat likely that the unrest in Egypt will spread to other Middle Eastern countries, with 37% who say it is Very Likely. Only 11% say that’s not very or not at all likely to happen. Fourteen percent (14%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Fifty-nine percent (59%) say if the unrest in Egypt spreads to other countries, it will be bad for the United States. Just eight percent (8%) think the spreading popular discontent will be good for America, while 11% predict it will have no impact. However, nearly one-in-four Americans (23%) aren’t sure.

There’s an even higher level of uncertainty – 31% - when Americans are asked what impact the overthrow of the Egyptian government will have on the United States. Five percent (5%) think the impact will be a good one, but 38% say it will be bad for America. Twenty-six percent (26%) say it will have no impact.

Still, only seven percent (7%) of Americans think the United States should help the current Egyptian government stay in power. Seventy percent (70%) think America should leave the situation alone. Twenty-three percent (23%) aren’t sure what we should do.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 28-29, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level -of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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